Floating cooling device for bulk liquids



Oct. 7, 1952 P. MINGHETTI 2,612,762

FLOATING COOLING DEVICE FOR BULK LIQUIDS Filed April 19, 1949 INVENTOR Paul Mingbetti ATTORNEYS Patented Dot. 7, 1952 Prior-arrive ll iinghetti, calif.

' Application April l9, 1949, Serial No. 88,258

' This invention is directed'tO, and it is an object to provide, a novel portable device ,for cooling bulk liquids in a tank or other open top receptacle Another object of the invention is topro'vid'e a cooling device which comprises the novel, combination of a float supported comp ressor, and a heat transfer unit, such as a, cooling coil, coupled to the compressor andm'ounted beneath the. float in the liquid. n w, l

A further object of the invention is to} provide a cooling device, as in the preceding paragraph, which-by reason of the floatis operative even when the liquid level, in, the tank is rising or falling.

An additional object of the invention is to pro vide a cooling device arrangedin a manner to automatically cause --a continual circulation of the liquid in the tank so thata substantially uniform temperature is maintained throughout the same. I

It is also an object of the invention/to provide a cooling device, for the-purpose described,

' which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and simplicity of use.

A still further object of, the invention is to provide a practical and rename cooling device for bulk liquids. 1 r

These objects are accomplished by mean of such structure and relative arrangementofparts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

The figure of the drawing is a sectional elevation of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the device is adapted for cooling a bulk liquid, indicated at l, which is retained within an open-topped receptacle or tank 2 such device comprising a flatbottomed, round-ended buoy or float 3, which is of a size and configuration such that it is readily manually portable.

In order to facilitate the movement of the device from place to place the float 3 is provided with a bail 4.

Centrally thereof, and within the same, the float 3 is provided with upstanding posts P which carry a platform 5 on which a compressor 6 is mounted; said compressor being in a central position for stability of the float 3 and may be driven by an electric motor or other prime mover.

A heat exchange unit indicated generally at 8 is disposed below float 3; this unit being inthe form of a multiple-turn vertically elongated coil 9 which progressively increases in size from the top down both as regards the diameter of the coil as well as the cross sectional tubing of the coil as shown.'

One conduit Hi leads from compressor 6 tea condenser l I from which another conduit l2 leads area of the l toany suitable type of valve [3 incorporatedin the system, and which regulates the boiling distance of the gas within the coil. The upper end of-the coil connects with the valvev l 3'throughthe bottom of the float, asat I4.

The return conduit Hi to the compressor from Q the coil includes a pair of vertical branches I6 disposed Within the turns of the coil at opposite points and connected at their lower end to the lowermost and largest turn ll of the coil at diametrally opposed points. The size of the conduit branches l6 relative to that of said coil turn I! is'desig'ned so as to equally divide and efficiently take care of-the quantity of gas within the coil at itslower end andwhere said gas reaches its 'boilingpoint, r

The electric motor'driven compressor 6 is energized through the medium of a-flexible electric cord l8; such energizationof the compressor 6 bein controlled-by a thermostat l9 mountedwithir the coil at its lower end, The thermostat circuit is included in a liquid-proof cord 20 which extends upwardly formthe thermostat l9'to connection into a relay box 2| mounted on the plat,- form 5 adjacent the compressor 6. The thermostat I9 controls the compressor 6 in response to the temperature of the liquid being cooled.

When the device is in use it is placed, by means of the bail 4, in the tank 2, with the float 3 riding the liquid 2, and with the cooling coil 9 depending into such liquid in the manner shown in the drawing. v I

Thereafter operation of the compressor 6, with resultant heat exchange by the cooling coil 9, results in effective cooling of the liquid I to a temperature predetermined by setting of the thermostat l5.

The device works in a wholly automatic manner to maintain a substantially uniform temperature throughout the liquid 2 in the tank I, because as the liquid cools about the coil 9 the cooled portion tends to drop to the bottom of the container, and the warm portion to rise; thus automatically creating a circulation of the liquid about and through the cooling coil 9.

It should also be noted that. an advantageous feature of the device is the fact that with rise or fall of the level of the liquid 1 in the tank 2, such device correspondingly rises andfalls, thereby always functioning in the manner desired.

The device i free floating in the tank 2; the

3 flexible electric cord 14 being of suflicient length and slack enough to permit of this action.

The device is especially useful for cooling of liquids in connection with the commercial processing thereof, as for example wine, beer, milk, water, etc.

It may at times be desirable to use the unit to cool a liquid within a closed tank having a manhole in the top. In such cases, the float 3 is outside the tank with the heat exchange unit 8 depending through the manhole; the float on' its bottom having a cushion ring 22 adapted to rest on the rim of the manhole in sealing relation. The return conduit assembly not only functions as such, but due to its arrangement, serves also as a supporting and stabilizing leg assembly for the coil itself, as will be evident.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this invention sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A cooling device for bulk liquids comprising tion with the compressor, and a flexible electric cable connected in operative relation with the motor of the compressor.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the heat ex- I change element includes a multiple-turn vertically elongated tubular coil in which the coil and cross sectional area of the tube forming the coil both progressively increase in size from top to bottom of the element.

3. A device as in claim 2 including a pair of vertically disposed branching tubes connected with the large end of the tube of the coil and converging together, one of the connections with the compressor including a tube connected with the converging ends of the branching tubes and the compressor and having a cross sectional area substantially equal to the combined cross sectional areas of the branching tubes, and the combined cross sectional areas of the branching tubes being substantially equal to the cross sectional area of the coil tube at its large'end, the other connection with the compressor comprising a tube connected between the compressor and the small end of the coil tube and having a cross sectional diameter substantially equal that of the small end of the coil tube.

4. A cooling device for bulk liquids comprising the combination with a liquid containing tank, of a buoyant body adapted to ride the liquid and unattached to the tank, a compressor mounted on the body and a heat exchange coil depending from the body and operatively connected to the compressor; the coil being of smaller dimensions horizontally than the bottom of the body and symmetrically disposed relative to the area of said bottom whereby the body may come in contact with the side walls of the tank without possible damage to the coil; the body being formed as a float of suflicient displacement to support the weight of the parts mounted thereon from the liquid.

PAUL MINGHE'I'II.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 331,658 Sooysmith Dec. 1, 1885 1,544,650 Kiwull July '7, 1925 2,055,022 Wood Sept. 22, 1936 2,203,439 Oliver June 4, 1940 2,411,833 McMahon Nov. 26, 1946 2,508,289 Peck May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 231,418 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1925 638,234 France T Feb. 14, 1928 

